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August 2007 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 1 Samuel 12:21 Greetings in our Savior’s name, As we find Samuel in 1 Samuel 12, he is standing in the gap. He is looking backward in history considering God’s anointed judge, and forward toward God’s anointed king. From this vantage point he makes several important observations: God will anoint His permitted will just as He did His preferred will. Of course, His blessing is greater when we agree to submit to His preferred will. There are always added pressures and problems when we settle for second best. You knew it was coming when we read verses 12 and 13: “But when you saw that Nahash, king of the Amorites, was moving against you, you said to Me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’…even though the Lord, your God was your King. Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the Lord has set a king over you.” Their desire for their own king so that they we more in keeping with the rest of the world around them, set them up for a greater problem, and Samuel warns them: “Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.” As a nation, I believe we have succumbed to the idea that our fate lies in the hands of some charismatic leader, or consortium. This is certainly true of those who end up at His Mansion for help. It’s not that everyone entering the program has necessarily “converted to idols,” but rather, they have been raised in a culture that is solidly committed to attending temples where idols are worshiped. Where might some of these “temples” be located? The “Mall of America” is a major temple. The “Church of the Flat Screen” is another well-attended synagogue. Many candidates at His Mansion have for years attended “Virtual Church of the Internet.” One of the more popular places of worship is sort of like our house churches; I think they call them “iPods,” or something like that. The “Cell Church” has become immensely popular. “Can you hear me now?” The idols themselves usually take the form of someone that we fantasize ourselves to look like, or be. The rich, rebellious model; the disrespectful, foul-mouthed rapper; the American Idol (interesting, huh?); the rich young rulers (Wall Street, stock brokers, gadget entrepreneurs.) The sacraments are often illegal drugs, alcohol abuse, illicit sex, voyeurism, mind-bending music, or massive amounts of sugar! -- all intended to “make me feel good,” or “numb the pain.” It would be easy to read our verse and conclude that idols, at their worst, don’t actually do anything, they are merely useless. Beware! It is what they do not provide, and addict you to, that does the damage. They are worse than useless: they are deadly! We are in the midst of gardening, early harvesting, and hay season. It has been a terrible season for hay. Oh, we’ve had plenty of rain, and the hay grew rich and tall, but with very little consistent sunshine and breeze. You see, once the hay is ripe and ready, it must be wounded and bruised by cutting and raking. If, having been brought low, it lays on the ground wet, it loses much of its nutrients and protein, and develops mold. Yeah, I know, you’re a sharp group! Our residents are taught this lesson early: It’s not enough to merely have life; there’s a dying process, too. Ultimately, the heat of faith and the fresh blowing of God’s Holy Spirit cure and seal the fruit within, so that we might provide rich nourishment to those hungering and thirsting for it. There have been many occasions of praise since our last letter. One man, from a hardened background, gave his heart to Christ and several women have reached spiritual landmarks as well. The growth in some is amazing and staff is very encouraged by the fruit of our labors. It may be one of the best groups of men and women to go through the program in years. One of the reasons for this, I think, is the average age. It is an older group than typical.  We rejoiced to witness baptism last week, in a local brook. Sixteen men and women entered the waters following Jesus’ example. Each gave a powerful testimony of transformation. One was of particular note: Cliff Buxton, Assistant Director for the men’s program, had the awesome blessing of baptizing his own son, Matt, from whom he has been estranged since his own days of walking in darkness. They’ve been reconciled. Hallelujah!
There have been setbacks as well. It is heartbreaking to nurture someone, in this case a young man, only to see him give up just a month or so from graduation. It happened earlier this month when a guy, who was impatient to “get on with it,” stopped working the program. He stopped doing journals, homework, and assignments, and had to be released. Please pray for Gary. I think he’ll do all right, but with fewer resources than we’d like to see him have. We’ve had the blessing of entertaining several serving groups from local churches already this summer, to help with various work projects. The youth from Groton Bible Chapel in Groton, Connecticut came first. They did everything form gardening to construction. These young people set the standard for Christ-centered, no-nonsense serving. They’re welcome back anytime! The team from Parkwood Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina was next. Temperatures were hot and they bore up, doing a great job. We put them to work painting, putting siding on Cabin John, and helping with moves on the hill. They brought with them a few pretty crusty old veterans to keep the “children” straight. I wasn’t sure who was going to cause the most mischief, once I got to know them! Next came our “old friends” from Little Falls, New York. Chris Wintermute and seven eager servants have done roofing, gardening, and landscape work. These veterans are always a welcomed sight. The Long House is finished! Joan and I moved in last week and I’ve pinched myself each day. What a pleasure to be back in this ca.1767 colonial. Everyone here worked on it in some way. Bob and Ada Lanoue, Bud and Marty Peck, and Roy and Jean Felbloom, all of Cocoa, Florida, came up from Florida to help out. Bernie and Steve Garnett, a father-and-son team, also worked hard doing the detail stuff that I hate to do. Jim Lawson, grandfather of one of our mentors, came once a week for several weeks, putting much time and resources into electrical work, and design and installation of new kitchen cabinets. Joan’s “buddy,” our own Joyce Oliver, and Joan, painted and wallpapered to transform the rooms. Paul Atkinson, our Corporate Administrator, got in on the act, as well. Some mentors and residents directly contributed more than others, but they all sacrificed by supporting. So… “Attaboys” to all on the hill! This is a special blessing for Joan and me. September marks our 36th year as missionaries to the “Fourth World” (His Mansion), September 2nd, our 46th year of marriage together, and September 5th, my 66th year of life. To find ourselves settled back in the Long House seems almost too good to be true, except that God is the God of good gifts to the undeserving! We do have a crucial need for several staff positions to be filled. The couple we were counting on to take over the Building and Maintenance position is not able to pull it off at this time. It is a major commitment, and better to count the cost now than later. This is both a huge need and an exciting opportunity. Upkeep of furnaces, water systems, plumbing, building maintenance, and general crises describe the actual labor of the Building & Maintenance Supervisor. The best part is to be privileged to do this with several men in recovery at your side. If I were somewhere other than here, I would apply for this job!
There is also a need for a mechanic, as that position is soon to be vacated when the Harrises move on to God’s next call on their lives. Mark and Ruth are returning to Ontario where they’ll wait upon God for further direction. Mark has set a high standard with his superb skill. If you have good mechanical ability and a desire to use your skills discipling young men, contact us. In December, Chris and Marie Speiss will complete their commitments and head back to Baltimore to delighted relatives and a welcoming church family. Chris presently serves as our IT man and is vital to much that goes on. We will benefit greatly from the talents of a man or woman who has advanced computer skills. The IT position entails constant upgrading of the web page, desk top publishing, and daily interaction with prospective short-term mentors traveling through the internet venues searching for a place to serve and train. If “living in space” and communicating with the Christian ecommunity is stimulating and rewarding to you, we need you! Candidates for these positions can be single or married, and having children constitutes no handicap. They must be commended (or recommended) by local church leadership, be of good reputation, and have a burden to serve others. Because all of our staff serves trusting God to provide, you must be able to develop sufficient support to meet your needs. Housing and utilities are provided and substantial food is available. The most powerful component of our “Healing in the Context of Community,” takes place as the men and women put the principles they are learning into practice in the work-a-day world. There’s no better venue in which a mature man or woman can model and mentor, than being able to love God, and struggling men and women, than one in which you touch them with labor-soiled hands. Please have your pastors or elders read these needs for staff in church and/or at adult groups. Another prayer request: Robin Atkinson (Paul’s wife) is in Florida where her dad is in recovery following back surgery and her step-mom is having life-threatening medical difficulties. Robin wants to be there for them, but we miss her, as does Paul. Pray that God will resolve the situation to His glory and that she might return home soon. The last Healing in the Context of Community (HCC) was super and we are gearing up for the next class beginning October 13. This is apt to be a full class, as it occurs at the peak of the fall foliage, and is about as pleasant as it gets in New England. Call our office at 603-464-5555 for an application if you’d like to attend. We also have openings for men and women who are pursuing social work, counseling, and related disciplines in college, and require practicum or in-service training. Call and ask for Fritz Maurer, Director of Counseling, for details regarding academic requirements. We are pleased to have Cindy Margason and two sons, Nathan and Michael, here to serve for a year. Cindy and sons are pretty unique. She sold her home in Texas, gathered up Nathan who worked in Virginia, and together with Michael loaded a pickup truck with all of their belongings and headed north. Cindy is training to become the Program Administrator for Women. We’ve also been blessed to have “Cap’n Mike” Birch serve with us for part of the summer. Mike and his pooch, Gabriel, came in with his trailer just in time to support Lee Oliver, the Operations Director. We thank God for Mike, and others like him who stand in the gap from time to time.
Mid-summer is typically a tough time for ministries, financially. Because God has provided His Mansion with such a powerful army of intercessors, we are not acutely feeling this. I do want you to know how much we value your prayer. If you cannot support financially, but love the work and pray, please keep receiving the newsletter and enjoying the truth that you are as vital a part as anyone can be. There are senior saints who give fifteen dollars a month, but pray earnestly. We are dependent upon you. Just this month a “senior saint” from Connecticut sent us dozens of small, hand-made bookmarks of pressed flowers. These tokens took lots of time to fashion and I know that this precious saint prayed for this ministry and its servants as she worked. The value of her bookmarks? Priceless! Your are unique partners in this work and because of your consistent faithfulness, we can again praise God by declaring that every outstanding bill is paid, and we are in no debt. Joyful in His service, Stan Farmer
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